What Is And What Will Be
by muzicluvr-selene
Summary: Remake of How Soon Is Now, by Alex Nicole. A young man turns up Jake's house, claiming to be his future son. How is Cassie involved? Why has Diana come back? Rated T, but may change to M. Jake/Cassie, Adam/Diana. Chapter 10 contains mature content!
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so this is my first Secret Circle fanfic. It's a remake of **_How Soon Is Now_** by **_**Alex Nicole**_**, featuring Jake and Cassie instead of Jake and Diana. My story is dedicated to Alex Nicole, hope you like it! **

**Set directly after season 1, but Jake and Faye do not develop feelings for each other, nor do Adam and Melissa. Diana is called back by Cassie, when she and Jake make a startling discovery. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Secret Circle, or Jake and Cassie would have gotten together long time back.**

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Diana did not think that she would be back at Chance Harbour. But she was. About a half hour back, she received a call from a weeping Cassie, begging her to come back, she needed her help. Something had come up, and she had no idea how to deal with it. Diana had to come back. She had never seen Cassie cry before. Something terrible must have happened.

Grant was not happy with the fact that Diana wanted to go back, but he complied with her wishes. Now, 20 minutes later, there they were, in front of Jake's house, Grant pulling her luggage out while she stared at the house. A part of her wanted to go back to Grant, while a part of her wanted to go inside and console her sister.

She said her goodbyes to Grant, promising to meet up later, and walked in, luggage in tow. She was greeted with a pissed off Jake and a highly emotional Cassie. Cassie saw her and ran up to her, and both sisters embraced each other, not wanting to let go.

"I am so glad you came," Cassie whispered to Diana.

"What's wrong?" Diana asked. She looked at Jake. "Did you hurt her, because if you did, I swear to God-"

She was interrupted then by Cassie. "No, it's not him. It's, um," she looked at Jake.

"There's someone you need to meet," he said, in a tone that made her think he did not want her to meet them. They went in to the living room, where Diana saw a young boy tied to a chair. She started at the sight.

"What is this?!" She practically shouted.

"Last I checked, I was a human, not some inanimate object," the boy in the chair snorted.

Diana turned to Cassie. "What the hell is going on?" She demanded. And so Cassie told her.

_Cassie had never felt so alone in her life before. Her Mom had died, her grandma had died, and Diana had just helped her kill their father, and had herself run away. The Circle meeting was over, everyone had left. She had an entire house to herself, with nothing to do but to fill the gaping hole in her chest, left by her sister. _

_Wanting to distract herself, she decided to go up to her room and go through her Book of Shadows once again. God only knows how many times she had already read it. She entered her room, and by habit, looked towards Jake's window. The curtains were drawn, but the silhouettes of two men could be seen. Two men fighting. _

_Cassie ran out of towards his house. She wondered how many times she will have to help Jake with intruders. He really should lock his door. She ran in through the open door and up the stairs to his room. Jake had the other boy on the floor, holding him down with his knee on his chest and a choking hold around his throat. _

"_Stop!" Cassie screamed, willing her magic to be conducted through the words. Both boys flew into opposite directions in the room, Jake hitting the wall near Cassie and landing next to her, the intruder hitting the desk near the window. She helped Jake up, and went towards the groaning boy._

_He was young, around 18, with dirty blonde hair and ocean blue eyes. He had a long, square face and was at least a foot taller than her. He had a small scar above his right eyebrow. His demeanour reminded her of Jake. _

"_Who are you?" she asked him. _

" _Adrian." He replied._

"_Yeah, that answers a lot," Jake said. "Who are you exactly, and what are you doing here? How the hell did you even get into my house?"_

"_I'm here from the future. My name is Adrian… Armstrong. I'm your son."_

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**Gonna leave it here. Thank you for reading! Reviews will be appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews! Here's the next chapter:**

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"_I'm here from the future. My name is Adrian… Armstrong. I'm your son."_

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"Hold on there. How can you come from the future?" Diana asked Adrian, speaking to him for the first time.

"There's a spell in your Book of Shadows that _Mom_ found. My dark magic allowed me to perform it." He said it like it was something obvious.

"And your Mom is Cassie?" She meant it to be a question, but it came out as a statement.

"5 points to Slytherin," he said sarcastically. Cassie narrowed her eyes at him. "What, you only made me read Harry Potter!" **(Sorry, this was just asking for an HP reference)**

"Why did you even want to come here?" Cassie asked him.

"I didn't want to come here, not 2012. I was trying to go back to 23rd July, 2025, exactly 10 years before my time. Some mistake happened and I landed in 2012."

"What's on 23rd July, 2025?" Jake asked him.

"My birthday," he replied in a nonchalant manner. They all stared at him.

"Cassie, Diana. Kitchen. Now." Jake ordered. They both followed him out, Cassie a little reluctantly, not wanting to let Adrian out of her sight.

"We cannot trust him," Jake whispered as soon as they entered the kitchen. "We don't know if the spell he is speaking of is even true."

"But what if he is not lying?" Cassie replied. "He is our _son_, Jake!"

"Why would he even want to go to 23rd July, 2025?" Diana interjected. "What happened, or will happen, that day? He will not go back in time to celebrate his eighth, or something, birthday, I'm pretty sure. Something bad will happen that day, and he wants to stop it."

"Why won't he tell us then?" Jake questioned. "If we are his…parents," he had to force the word out, "then I'm sure he can tell us what he wants to prevent."

Cassie closed her eyes and rubbed her temples with her fingertips. Sighing, she said, "I don't know." She looked like she would start crying any moment.

Diana took charge then. "Let's call the rest of the Circle. I know a spell to make sure that he is your son. Then we'll find out the rest of the story. Okay?"

Both nodded. Diana went to a cupboard and took out a bowl and filled it with water. She then took a box of matches. "Come on, let's find out the truth."

Adrian looked at them curiously. Diana put the bowl down on the coffee table and lit a match. She then chanted a few words in Latin and dropped the match in the water. The water caught fire. "As long as the water is on fire, the spell will work. You will feel the connection you have with the person on touching them."

Cassie looked at Jake, then Diana and then Adrian. With a flick of her hand, the ropes holding him in place fell to the ground. He stood up and groaned slightly. "Thank you," he said.

Cassie looked back at Jake hesitantly. He nodded slightly, a small, swift movement. Then slowly she held out her hand to Adrian. He came forward and grasped it. Cassie inhaled sharply. Adrian then grabbed Jake's arm with his free hand. Jake too felt it.

It was like the fire from the bowl was inside them. The places where they touched, it burned, but it was a good sensation. Like being re-united with someone after a long time.

"It is confirmed that Adrian Richard Armstrong is the son of Cassandra and Jacob Armstrong." Adrian said, looking at his parents.

Cassie let go of his hand, shaking. "I need a moment." She all but ran up the stairs to her room and threw herself on her bed, shivering, even though it was warm.

Jake moved to go after him, but Adrian stopped him. "Please, let me go," he practically begged.

They looked at each other, father and son, and Diana noticed just how alike they looked. Then, very slowly, Jake gave him a small nod.

"Thank you," Adrian said, and ran up. He knocked on the slightly open door and entered. Cassie looked up at him.

"Why?" she asked him. Adrian knew just what she was asking. He went and sat down next to her and put his head on her lap. Tears rolled down his cheeks as Cassie moved her hand to stroke his hair.

"I need to fix something," he told her, his voice breaking slightly.

"What is it? Why can't you tell me, your mother?"

"Because it will be too much for you to bear!" he said, sitting up. "I cannot hurt you."

"Something bad will happen, something so bad that no spell can fix it." Adrian nodded. Cassie realised just what he was trying to fix. "Someone is going to die. Am I right?"

Adrian looked away, his face reflecting his pain. It was all the confirmation she needed.

"Who?" she asked. He did not reply. "Tell me!" Silence. "Adrian Richard Armstrong, as your mother, I order you to tell me who will die on 23rd July, 2025!"

Adrian looked Cassie in the eye, and said one word. "Dad."

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**And this is where I stop for today. I'll try to update ASAP. Reviews appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for your reviews! Here's the third chapter!**

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"_Adrian Richard Armstrong, as your mother, I order you to tell me who will die on 23__rd__ July, 2025!"_

_Adrian looked Cassie in the eye, and said one word. "Dad."_

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Cassie stared at him, her breathing becoming hard. A lump formed in her throat. She couldn't think, let alone speak. Finally, she muttered, "How?"

"Trying to save us from Witch Hunters," Adrian said equally softly, his eyes tearing up.

Cassie took a few deep, hard breathes. "Another kid who grew up without a parent. We can't let that happen again." She looked Adrian in the eye – her eyes - for a few moments. "Come on, we need to stop Jake from dying 13 years later."

Adrian grinned at her, and they got up and went downstairs. Faye and Melissa had arrived. Adam was nowhere to be seen. All four witches looked at Adrian. The silence that followed was full of tension between the two male witches present. Finally, Faye broke it.

"So, that's your son from the future. He does look a lot like Jake."

"He's got Cassie's eyes and hair, though. And Balcoin magic," Melissa spoke. Apparently, they had been told everything while mother and son were having a heart-to-heart.

"You know I'm right here. You don't need to act like I can't hear you," Adrian said, irritated.

Cassie interrupted them. "We need to help Adrian go to 2025. Diana, do you have your Book of Shadows with you?" Diana nodded.

"Wait, why do you suddenly want to help him?" Jake demanded. "It's better to simply send him off back to his time, since we don't even know why he wants to 2025, in the first place."

"I do," Cassie said, her voice and temper rising. "And I say we help him finish what he wants to do!"

They were both glaring at each other. Adrian then interjected, "Again, I'm right here."

Both turned to glare at him. Adrian thought, _If looks could kill…_, and then internally shuddered.

"I'll go get my Book of Shadows," Diana said awkwardly, and hurried out. Melissa followed her out, with a muttered "I'll help you look for it." Faye looked like she just needed a bowl of popcorn to enjoy the show. Another tension fuelled silence followed. Jake and Cassie stared at each other, while Adrian looked at them, thinking just how perfect they looked together.

Cassie was glad when Diana and Melissa re-entered and broke the awkward tension. Diana spoke, "I found the spell to send him back…" there was a silent 'but' at the end of her statement.

Cassie motioned for her to go on. "But, we cannot perform it till the next new moon, which is two weeks later."

"Why?" Jake and Adrian said in unison. Jake glared at Adrian.

"Um, we need to cut Mandrake roots on the morning of the new moon for the spell to work. Also, we need to grow some Chinese sage; Melissa said we ran out of it."

Jake looked like he was ready to kill. He prayed that this was all a bad dream. Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair.

"How about we go to the Abandoned House and see what we can do there?" Faye suggested, speaking after a long time. "Anyone know where Adam is?"

Cassie thought about it and nodded. Diana smiled and said, "Great! Let's go!"

"Anyone heard from Adam?" Faye asked.

Melissa shook her head. "I tried calling him, but he did not answer. I'll send him a text to meet us at the Abandoned House."

They all started leaving, moving towards the cars. Jake grabbed Adrian's shoulder, touching him for the first time since the spell, and again felt the connection that confirmed their relationship. He dropped his hand and said, "You're travelling with me. I want to keep an eye on you."

Diana got in with Faye and Melissa into Melissa's car, and Cassie, Jake and Adrian got into Cassie's. Jake drove, with Cassie riding shot-gun and Adrian in the back. Jake and Cassie were still pretty mad at each other, and the tension was felt by all three of them. They drove in silence for some time, when Adrian commented, "Wow, awkward family road trip."

This lightened the mood a little, and the three of them laughed a little. Adrian felt that he might just be able to break the wall Jake had built between them.

They reached the Abandoned House second and got out. As they were going inside, Jake pulled Cassie aside.

"Cassie, are you sure of what you're doing?" Jake asked, concerned.

"Jake, what Adrian told me, I can't tell you, but I'm asking you to trust me on this. We _need_ to help him."

Jake looked at her for a few moments. A strand of her blonde hair had fallen over her face, and he put it back behind her ear. "I trust you," he muttered, still staring at the strand of hair.

Cassie smiled, and took his hand. "Come on, they're waiting for us."

"Just one more thing," he said. A bit nervously, he asked her, "What are you doing after your shift at the Café tomorrow?"

Cassie smile grew, as she replied, "Whatever you want to."

Jake smiled too, and together they walked into the house.

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**I don't know when I'll be able to upload next. My exams are coming up, and I have lots of studying to do. Hopefully, it'll be soon. In the meantime, R&R!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the next chapter. I've kept it short.**

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"_Just one more thing," he said. A bit nervously, he asked her, "What are you doing after your shift at the Café tomorrow?"_

_Cassie smile grew, as she replied, "Whatever you want to." _

_Jake smiled too, and together they walked into the house._

* * *

"What were you two doing outside?" Faye questioned them as soon as they entered.

"Jake was still hesitant about the plan and tried to stop me," Cassie told her nonchalantly. "He didn't succeed."

Diana looked between Jake and Cassie. She knew there was more to it than Cassie was letting on. She'd have time for it later though. "So, according to my Book, we need Chinese sage and mandrake root cut on the morning of a new moon, 13 candles and a photograph of the place he needs to go to, with the exact date and time."

"I have the photograph," Adrian interjected, patting his jacket pocket – the jacket that Cassie now noticed was the one Jake wore.

"I can grow the sage in 5 days," Melissa said.

"See if there are any substitutions for mandrake root," Jake told Diana.

"As far as I know, that's the quickest method," Diana told a disappointed Jake. He let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose.

The rumbling sound of Adam's truck coming to a stop came from outside. He came hurrying in. "Sorry I'm late. It was crowded at the…" he stopped mid-sentence, looking at Adrian.

"Who is he?" he asked with both alarm and curiosity.

"Adrian Armstrong," Jake told him with a grimace. Adam raised his eyebrows in surprise. He did not know Jake had another witch relative.

"Adrian is from the future. He is Jake and my future son," she said slowly, letting her words sink in.

Adam stared at her. "You know this is insane, right?"

"We did a spell test. It's true," Diana spoke up, making her presence known.

Adam looked at her, and went and hugged her hard. "You came back!"

"Cassie convinced me to come back," she replied, grinning at his reaction. They got serious again.

Adam began, "If you really are from the future, why did you want to come here?"

Adrian let out a frustrated sigh. "I did not want to come here! I was trying to go to 23rd July 2025. Something wrong happened, and I landed here."

Adam stared hard at him. Cassie told him, "We were just trying to figure out how to send him to 2025. Diana knows a spell, but we will have to wait for 2 weeks before performing it. We were searching for some alternatives."

"And you trust him?" he questioned her. She looked him hard in the eye. "Yes, I do."

Adam was slightly surprised at Cassie trusting someone so easily, but didn't show it. Adrian grinned at her, glad that _someone_ was defending him.

Adam thought for a few seconds. "I have to get back to the Boathouse for now," he said. "But I'll check it out later tonight."

"Since it looks like our job here is done," Faye said, "Melissa and I have plans. Ciao!" She grabbed Melissa's hand and dragged her out. They left in Melissa's car.

Diana looked at Adam. "You need any help at the Boathouse?"

"God, yes!" he exclaimed. They said their goodbyes and left in Adam's truck.

Adrian looked at the only people left – Jake and Cassie. "Just the three of us again, huh?"

Cassie gave him a hard look. "No, I have to go to work. It's the two of you together."

Jake glared at her. But Adrian did not notice.

"You still work at the Café, right?" he asked. She nodded. "Awesome! I could use some BBC."

"You love blueberry cheesecake too?" Cassie asked, surprised.

"Nothing gets better than chilly popcorn, a big BBC and some European football." He replied.

"You watch European football?" It was now Jake's turn to be surprised.

Adrian was glad that Jake was finally talking with him. "You always made me watch it with you. We even go to Britain once to watch the BPL final between ManU and Barca."

Cassie was glad to see them making progress. "You know what, let's go to the Café and I'll buy you both a large BBC. Then while I work, you both can have a nice chat."

Adrian grinned at her, and even though Jake did not, he also made no move to stop her. That was acceptable to them. _Maybe, just maybe_, Cassie thought, _the wall built between father and son will break._

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**Drabble.**

**Since most of the people don't read this and I needed a place to vent this out, here it is.**

**My best friend may have cancer. The test results haven't come out, but it's a 50-50 % chance. And I have absolutely no idea what to do. For the past 2 years I have been losing my closest friends. And now my best friend, my soul sister, might die. I have been crying literally all day. I have no idea what to do.**

**Anyway, thank you for reading. Reviews appreciated!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much for your kind words. The next chapter is here:**

* * *

_Cassie was glad to see them making progress. "You know what, let's go to the Café and I'll buy you both a large BBC. Then while I work, you both can have a nice chat." _

_Adrian grinned at her, and even though Jake did not, he also made no move to stop her. That was acceptable to them. __**Maybe, just maybe, **__Cassie thought__**, the wall built between father and son will break.**_

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In the last ten years of his life, Adrian had never felt so happy, as he did in this moment. He wished he could capture it, and take it with him to the future, and replay it again and again.

For the past half hour, they had been sitting in one of the booths at the Café his Mom worked at, talking about every possible thing. For the past half hour, he had bonded with father he never really had. And they had bonded. The wall Jake had built was now crumbling. He spoke openly with Adrian now. Instead of glaring, he would laugh at Adrian's snarky comments. But what pleased Adrian the most was that Jake had finally started accepting that Adrian was his future son.

Since it wasn't all that crowded, Cassie would complete her shift early and join them in a few minutes. She could see the two laughing at something Adrian had said. They looked so alike – any outsider would look to see two siblings meeting after a long time. Only Cassie knew though, just how long Adrian had to wait to see his father again. She grabbed a pie and a mug of coffee and slid in next to Jake.

"So, what did I miss?" Cassie asked, taking a bite of her pie.

"It turns out we both love European football and lawn tennis," Jake started.

"Although I'm a supporter of Barcelona and he supports Manchester United," Adrian interjected.

"And we both love fishing," Jake continued.

"I don't eat those though; I'm a vegetarian," Adrian interjected again.

Cassie cocked an eyebrow and Jake laughed. Adrian defended himself, "I refused to eat anything that was once living when I saw a goat being slaughtered."

"And we both love fast cars and bikes," Jake completed.

"Harley Davidson is way better than BMW," Adrian commented.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Cassie told him. Adrian stared at her.

"Harley Davidson bikes. BMW bikes. Harley Davidson is way better than BMW. BMW bikes are just for show. Harley Davidson is all about speed."

Cassie gave him an 'I couldn't care less' expression and went back to her pie. Jake inched his fork towards it and she slapped his hand away and glared at him. It was now Adrian's turn to laugh.

"Don't you even think about it," Cassie threatened.

"Come on!" Jake protested. "As it is, you won't be able to finish that thing of. Besides, I love apple pie!"

Cassie glared at him and pulled her plate away. Jake pouted. Adrian laughed hard now, and was soon joined by the other two. Never had they imagined Jake Armstrong to be capable of pouting.

"Okay, now," Cassie said, clutching her stomach. "That's enough for today. It's dark. We need to go home."

Both nodded, still going through the after effects of the laughter. Then Adrian realised something. "Hold on, where do I go?"

Cassie and Jake looked at each other. "I have a spare room in my house," Cassie said.

Jake thought a little, and then said, "You stay with Cassie. You can even protect her from unwanted visitors."

Cassie snorted. "I am perfectly capable of protecting myself."

Jake shrugged. "Doesn't hurt to have extra protection." Then looking seriously at the two of them, he said, "Plus I'll be a phone call away from you. Any problem, and you call me right away."

"Aye aye, Captain," Adrian mock saluted. Cassie hit him in the head and the three of them laughed again.

They went outside and got into Cassie's car. They were so engrossed that none of them noticed four people – 3 boys and a girl – Cassie's age standing in the shade of a tree.

* * *

It was a laughter-filled 10 minute drive back home. Jake went off towards his house, with a last "call if there's any problem" over his shoulder.

Cassie showed Adrian Jane Blake's old room. "Pillows and blankets are in the wardrobe and washroom's down the hall. If you need anything, just tell me."

"I will," he said softly. He bent a bit and hugged her tight. Cassie was slightly surprised, but hugged him back, as he buried his face in her hair.

"Goodnight," Cassie whispered when he let go.

Adrian smiled. "Goodnight, Mom."

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**R&R!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for your reviews. Luisa Mendoza asked if Jake and Cassie are a couple. To answer her, not when the story started, but they do start dating.**

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_He bent a bit and hugged her tight. Cassie was slightly surprised, but hugged him back, as he buried his face in her hair. _

"_Goodnight," Cassie whispered when he let go._

_Adrian smiled. "Goodnight, Mom."_

* * *

The next few days were pretty uneventful. Adrian spent most of the time at the Boathouse, helping Adam whenever needed. Diana and Adam had started spending a lot of their time together. Melissa and Faye were seen regularly at the Boathouse, always whispering and planning something amongst them. Jake and Adrian got along very well now, and Cassie had started treating him like her son.

And then there were Cassie and Jake. They had their first date the day after Adrian had come. Jake took her to the movies, and then dinner at a sushi bar. When he dropped her off at her house, in a very un-Jake-like manner, he held both her hands to his lips and gave them the gentlest of pecks. Adrian looked down from his window and smiled at his parents.

Their second date, that Friday, was a surprise to Cassie. She was completing a late-night shift when he picked her up and took her for a picnic at the beach where the skull had been formed. There they lay under the moonlight, watching the brilliant stars and sharing chocolate covered strawberries. They had their official first kiss; soft lips moulding with each other and moving in perfect synchrony. That night, both went to bed thinking of the other. But they did not sleep for long.

Cassie woke up to screaming coming from Adrian's room. She got up and ran to his side. He was still asleep, screaming and thrashing wildly, covered in sweat, the bed sheets lying on the floor.

No matter how much Cassie tried to wake him, he wouldn't. He was totally consumed by the nightmare. She took her cell and called Jake.

Jake was having a nice dream that featured Cassie, when he was woken by the buzzing of his phone. He did not appreciate the interruption, but all thoughts left his mind when he saw the caller-id.

"Cassie," he said, worry clear in his voice.

"It's Adrian," she replied. "Come quick."

Jake wasted no time in hurrying out the door - not even bothering to put a shirt on.

He reached Cassie's house, did lock-unlock, and was there at Adrian's bedside in no time.

The younger Armstrong's condition had not improved. His screams had turned to cries of agony, and Cassie had to literally hold his arms down.

"What happened to him?" Jake immediately asked.

"I don't know," Cassie replied. She looked like she would start crying any moment. "I woke up to his screaming. He was having a nightmare. I tried to wake him up, but he wouldn't."

Jake put his palm on Adrian's forehead, finding it covered in cold sweat. He murmured a few words, and felt his son quieten down. Adrian stopped moving, and his breathing evened out as he fell into a deep slumber. Both Cassie and Jake released a small sigh and slowly got up and out. Jake followed Cassie to her room.

Cassie sat on the bed and Jake went and hugged her, pulling her to him. They stayed like that for some time, before Jake decided to break the silence. "What was his nightmare about?" he asked quietly.

Cassie stayed silent. She had a feeling that she knew just what it was about, and Jake knew that she knew.

"Come on Cass, you can tell me." When she did not reply, he sighed and pulled away to look at her. She tried to avoid his eyes, and then realised just what he was wearing.

"Jake, why aren't you wearing anything?" she asked, a deep blush creeping up her face. He looked down and saw he was only in his jeans, no shirt.

"Don't avoid the question," he told her, but found he was pleased at seeing her attracted to him like that.

"How about you go sleep right now and come back in the morning with some clothes on," she told him with a small smile on her face. "Maybe I'll get Adrian to tell you about it."

"I have a better idea," he said, and fell back on the bed with his arms spread. "How about I spend the night here? I'm sure you wouldn't mind sharing the bed with me, I sure as hell wouldn't."

Cassie grinned and climbed onto him, straddling his stomach. "Is sharing the bed all you have in mind, Mr. Armstrong?" she asked him slyly.

Jake moved his hands to her hips, holding them in place as he replied. "Oh I have a lot of things in mind, Miss Blake."

No words were exchanged as their lips crashed together. Cassie moved her hands up his toned chest to his hair, tangling her fingers in it. Jake moved his hands up and down her sides, leaving a fiery trail behind. Both opened their mouths together, and their tongues danced in an epic battle. Jake smirked when Cassie moaned, but immediately let out a groan of his own when she rocked her hips against him. Both were so lost in the heat of the moment, they didn't realise when Cassie shirt came off.

When Jake moved his hands towards her bare chest, Cassie pulled away. Both were breathless, with swollen lips and wild hair.

"Too fast?" Jake asked, panting. Cassie fell back on the bed next to Jake.

"We just started dating," she replied, in between breathes. "Of course it's too fast."

Jake waited a few moments, catching his breathe. "So is this what we are doing? Dating?" he asked, grinning.

"You know anything else to call it?" she counter questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Hmm, not really," he replied, looking at her. "So…does this mean you will be my girlfriend?"

His tone was casual, but Cassie could see in his eyes how much her answer would affect him. "Yes," she whispered. "I will gladly be your girlfriend."

Jake smiled, and taking her face in his hands, softly kissed her lips. Cassie's night clock beeped, as it did every 1 hour, and they turned to see it was two in the morning.

"Time to go to bed," Jake said. He got up and stretched when Cassie grabbed his hand.

"Stay," she said softly. Jake looked at her hesitantly, then smiled and said, "I'd love to."

"Go grab a shirt, though," She said, grinning. "I'm sure Adrian will not like to see his parents together, half naked."

"I'm sure he is used to this in the future," he said, slyly. Cassie did not want to think how wrong he was, and instead said, "Just go get a shirt."

"Why go to the shirt when the shirt can come to you," he said, grinning as one of his night shirts flew out his bedroom window, through Cassie's and into his hand. Cassie raised her eyebrows appreciatively.

"You need to teach me that trick," she said, and then yawned.

Jake put on the shirt and got in next to Cassie. She snuggled into him as he wrapped his arms around her. She put her head on his chest and he lightly kissed her hair.

"Goodnight Jake," she whispered, half-asleep.

"Goodnight, my love," he murmured in her ears, and both fell asleep, content to be in their lover's embrace.

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**This is just to say thank you to all your well wishes. My friend's reports came back, and she does not have cancer yet. But anyway, she is taking medicines for it. Thank you again. **

**I don't know when I will update next. I have my exams in two weeks (I have to give a 3 hour Art exam on Valentine's Day. How sad is that!) and **_**really**_** need to study. But I will try my best to update ASAP.**

**In the meantime, R&R!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you all for your wonderful reviews. Here's the next chapter. It will explain things to some extent.**

* * *

"_Goodnight Jake," she whispered, half-asleep._

"_Goodnight, my love," he murmured in her ears, and both fell asleep, content to be in their lover's embrace._

* * *

Next morning, Cassie woke up to an empty bed and smell of coffee and vanilla wafting in through the half open door. She went got up and went downstairs, where she was greeted by a sight she never thought she'd see.

Jake stood at the stove top, wearing a '**Kiss-the-chef**' apron, making waffles and coffee. He gave her a lopsided grin and said, "Morning. Adrian took off on his own," he pointed towards a post-it note on the refrigerator, "so I decided to make breakfast."

"Morning," she replied, going over to read what message was written on it.

'**Off to help Mr. Conant at the Boathouse. Won't be back till later. –A'**

"Guess we will have to wait to talk with him," she sighed, but instantly cheered up. "So, what have you made?"

"Well, uh, coffee's made," he pointed towards two mugs on the island, "and vanilla bean waffles are almost done. If you want, I can make chocolate waffles too." He looked cute when he was nervous, Cassie observed.

"Is it edible?" Cassie teased.

Jake feigned a hurt expression. "You question my cooking abilities?" He wiped off a few imaginary tears off his cheeks.

Cassie pressed her lips together, holding back her laughter, and shook her head. Jake handed her a plate with the waffles and poured some chocolate syrup over it. Cassie took one bite, and she nearly died. She had never had such amazing waffles. They were so soft and moist and full of vanilla flavour, and the chocolate syrup went with it beautifully.

"Mmh," she said with her mouth still full. "This is death by waffles!"

Jake laughed and sat down with her. They shared a wonderful breakfast, simply eating and talking, enjoying the moment.

* * *

Adrian sat in a corner booth at the Boathouse, sipping his third coffee of the morning, his scrambled eggs lying untouched on the table. He had woken up early that morning, covered in sweat, his mind still reeling from the nightmare.

He still had flashes of it; gunshots, broken bodies, blood all over, his mother crying… he shuddered and tried to push them out of his mind. He put the coffee mug to his mouth, only to realise he had finished it. He sighed, got up, and walked to the counter Adam was cleaning.

"You know, if you keep drinking coffee at this rate, you'll end up with an anxiety disorder," Adam told him conversationally when he saw him approaching.

"I just wanted to ask if you needed help with anything," Adrian said. "Getting bored is boring. I have absolutely nothing to do."

Adam thought for a moment. "You have any work experience?"

"I work for you in the future," Adrian said casually.

Adam looked a bit surprised. Adrian continued, "I know most of your recipes, how you arrange the cash drawer and how to make different cocktails."

"What do you feel like doing?" Adam asked, still a bit surprised.

"Anything but the dishes," he grimaced at the thought of greasy dishes covered in three different sauces.

"The customers have started coming in, so think you can wait on the tables?" Adam asked.

"It would be my genuine pleasure," he said, with an overly gallant bow.

Waiting tables, Adrian felt at home. He did this all the time in the future. Working, he was so occupied, he forgot about his nightmare. He worked, he flirted with some teenage girls, he helped a 10-year-old fix his broken Iron Man action figure, even listened to a pregnant woman cribbing about her size.

Every happy feeling that had filled hi up last few hours left him the moment he saw four people enter. The girl had straight blonde hair and deep green eyes; of the three boys, two had dark brown hair and one was sandy blonde. The tallest, a brunette, had a scar on his right cheek near his nose.

Everything came back to him very vividly. Gunshots, broken bodies, blood all over, his mother crying… a cruel face with a scar on the right cheek staring down at his father's unmoving form…

Adrian staggered a bit, emotions taking over him. He almost sprinted back to the men's room, slashing cold water on his face. He ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair, taking deep breathes.

The cruel face kept popping up in his mind. He could see the man staring down at his father, right hand held out – the hand that had the same scar on it as his and his mom's and Aunt Diana's…

Adrian jerked back into reality. _No, _he thought_. This cannot be happening. No, no, no, no, no. _

"NO!" He growled.

* * *

**Gonna leave it here. **

**I will not be able to upload for some time right now (till the fourth of March, to be exact) as my exams are starting from Wednesday and I will be too busy studying (I'm still too busy studying, hardly had time to write this chapter). Sadly, that also means I won't be able to celebrate Valentine's Day properly…sigh. **

**Anyway, thanks for reading! Don't forget to continue leaving awesome reviews ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm back! Exams finally over! I couldn't wait to start writing again. Here's Chapter 8.**

* * *

No, _he thought. _This cannot be happening. No, no, no, no, no_. "NO!" He growled._

* * *

Adrian all but ran to Adam's office. Adam was sitting there with Melissa and Faye, discussing something. They all looked up when Adrian entered, breathless, panicked.

"You need to help me!" he cried. "Stop them! You need to stop him!"

"Adrian, what's wrong?" Adam asked him. They got up and hurried over to him.

"We need to stop him! They'll kill him!" He kept muttering all over.

Melissa grabbed his arm and tried a few calming spells on him. Slowly, he became quiet, but his eyes were hollow, like he was reliving a nightmare – which he was.

Halfway across town, Jake and Cassie had finished breakfast and had started the day with a cheesy movie that made Jake want to throw up, when they were interrupted by Cassie's cell going off. It was Faye.

"Hey, Cassie? You need to come to the Boathouse. I think time travel finally broke your son. Get Jake too."

Cassie did not even have time to answer. Jake looked at her questioningly. "What did Faye want?"

"We need to go to the Boathouse. Something's wrong with Adrian."

They wasted no time. It took them five minutes to reach the Boathouse. As soon as they entered, Cassie got a weird feeling, like slivers up her spine. But she ignored it, following Jake into Adam's private office.

Adrian sat in one of the chairs, Melissa running a hand through his hair and muttering soothing spells, Adam pacing in front of them, Faye leaning against one wall with her arms crossed on her chest and her eyebrow arched, like it was all very amusing.

"What's wrong?" Cassie and Jake asked in unison.

Adrian saw them and, if possible, his eyes became wilder. He leaped up and ran to Cassie, grabbing her shoulders so hard it hurt.

"We need to stop them! They'll kill him!" he told her. Realization dawned on her, but she tried to keep a straight face.

"Give us some privacy please," she told the others. Adam nodded and walked out; Melissa dragged a reluctant Faye out with her. Jake stayed with Cassie.

"We need to stop him! Now! We need to stop him!" Adrian kept muttering over again.

"Sit," she ordered, and dragged him back to his chair, and Jake forced him down into it, keeping his hands on his shoulders to keep him down.

Cassie knelt down, holding his face, and forced him to look into her eyes. "Adrian, who are 'they'?"

"They'll kill him! We need to save him!" he kept muttering.

She looked up at Jake, and he nodded, moving his palm over to his eyes and muttered the same spell from the previous night. Instantly, the younger Armstrong calmed down.

Jake moved from his position behind Adrian's chair to kneel down next to Cassie. "Adrian," Jake started, in a voice so soft, it could calm down a little baby. "I think it's time you stop avoiding it and tell us why you came back."

Just as fast as he had calmed down, Adrian and Cassie both stiffened. It did not go unnoticed by Jake. He looked at Cassie.

"You know." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," she whispered, not looking at him.

"'They'll kill him.'" Jake quoted. "Someone dies." He looks at them for confirmation, but the look in their eyes tells him everything. "So, the question is who kills whom?"

Cassie avoids his gaze, while Adrian has his eyes shut.

"Cassie," he whispers, forcing her to look at him.

She takes a deep breathe, and when she speaks, her voice breaks. "I don't know the whole story."

They both look at their son. He still has his eyes shut tight, and an expression of intense pain takes over his features as he narrates the story.

"The four Blackwell siblings, they just came to town. They are seated at the corner table near the bar. In 2025, they join hands with the Witch Hunters. They try to kill Mom and Aunt Diana."

It takes Jake a few moments to let the words sink in. The other Balcoins try to kill Cassie and Diana. Try.

"Whom do they kill?" he manages through gritted teeth.

"The Witch Hunters hold them captive at the ferry where your parents died. You went after them. The others saved Mom and Aunt Diana."

"But not me." Jake states in a surprisingly calm manner. "So you decided to go back in time to prevent that from happening."

"No," Adrian said. "I came back to kill them."

Cassie shot up, angry and worried. "You are doing no such thing!" she shouted at him. "What if you get yourself killed?"

"I won't!" Adrian screamed back. "I won't, because you and Aunt Diana will be helping me."

Jake intervened before things got too serious. "How do you plan on doing that? From what you just said, both of them will be captured."

Adrian looked at Jake, and his eyes were no longer hollow. They were lit up, like he just had the brightest idea of the century.

"They are captured 13 years later, not now," he stood up and started pacing. "When I performed the spell, the one that sent me back, I did not exactly think of a date, but more of 'Send me back so I can stop my father from dying'."

Cassie's creased eyebrows straightened as she realized what he was saying. "You want to kill them now."

A moment of silence passed as Jake looked at them. "Fine, but we will kill them, not you." He told Adrian firmly.

"That's the problem!" he said, exasperated. "They are too strong for you to kill him alone. Four of them together are more powerful than John Blackwell. Even with the Skull, you need more dark magic to kill them. You need my help."

Suddenly, he fell back down. Jake and Cassie ran forward to catch him. His eyes were open, but he wasn't looking at them. No, he was gripped by a memory – his biggest nightmare.

* * *

**Sorry, but I'm leaving it here. Next chapter will explain Jake's death in detail. Should be updating soon. **

**In the meantime, don't forget to leave reviews!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you Elena Alarian for your kind words. As a reply to your review, this chapter will show in detail Jake's death and Cassie's reaction, and will also have some intimate moments. Before this, I really wanted to progress with the story and decided to cut short some moments, but since you requested, I'll add some.**

**Here it goes, enjoy!**

* * *

_Suddenly, he fell back down. Jake and Cassie ran forward to catch him. His eyes were open, but he wasn't looking at them. No, he was gripped by a memory – his biggest nightmare._

* * *

"_Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Adrian!" Adrian wished for something and blew the eight candles on his cake as everyone sang. The cake was huge, presents covered the dinner table, and everyone he knew was here – his aunts and uncles, cousins, friends; Adrian loved his birthday. He cut a slice of the Avengers themed cake and fed it to his baby sister Lexie first, then Mom and Dad. Jake took the knife from him and started cutting the cake for the rest of the party members. _

_The doorbell rang. Cassie went to answer it. A woman Cassie's age with blonde hair and deep green eyes stood there with a small present in her hand. Cassie tried to shut the door but the woman put her hand on the door frame to stop her._

_His mom's voice was venomous when she spoke. "What are you doing here Emma?"_

_The woman, Emma, replied, "Why, it's my nephew's birthday. Can't I wish him, give him his present?" Her voice was too sweet, the kind that instantly made you suspicious. _

So this was his mother's other sister – the other Blackwell girl, _Adrian thought. He ran over to his mother. "Mom, let her in. I want to meet her."_

_Emma eyed Adrian in a manner that made Cassie want to claw her eyes out. "It's okay, honey. I'm just here to give you a small gift." She handed Adrian the present. "Happy Birthday sweetie. Now can you let Mommy and Auntie talk?" _

_Adrian nodded and ran off with his present. Emma turned her gaze to Cassie. "Nice little boy you have there. Wouldn't want anything happening to him, would you?"_

_Diana turned up at that moment. "What do you want Emma?" she said icily. _

_Emma looked at her two sisters, her gaze sharp like a hawk's. "If you both want your precious little children to be safe, you will meet me at the old ferry at 11." With one last hawk-like sweep of her eyes, she left. _

_Cassie closed the door and turned to Diana. Both looked badly shaken. They knew when Emma said 'me', she meant the other four Blackwells. And six Blackwells in one old boat meant another disastrous fire. _

_Diana put a hand on Cassie's shoulder. "Come on, Adrian's waiting for you. Plus you need to give him and Jake the good news." This brought a smile to Cassie's face. Together, they made their way back to the party. _

_Next few hours, Cassie was able to push the meeting from her mind. After the party was over, Jake went to tuck in Adrian and Lexie, while Diana and Adam stayed back to help with the cleaning. Cassie was placing the dishes in the dishwasher when Jake came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She closed her eyes and leaned into his chest, and he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. _

"_Tired?" he asked her. She hummed her yes, and then slowly moved his hands to her lower abdomen. "I have to tell you something," she told him. _

_Opening her eyes, she saw it was 10:30 already, and decided that it could wait. She had something even more important to tell him. _

"_Emma came today." Jake's eyes darkened with anger, but he kept shut. "She wants to meet Diana and me at the old ferry in half an hour."_

_This time he spoke. "I'm coming with you. I don't trust her."_

"_Jake, she said she'll hurt the kids if we don't listen to her. And she said she only wants to meet the two of us." When he didn't say anything, she continued. "You want her to hurt Adrian and Lexie, and Alicia and Hayden?" _

"_I'm sure Adam would want to go too," he said, his jaw set tight. _

"_No, Adam would want to stay home and protect his kids. He knows his wife can take care of herself, and you should do the same." _

_Without waiting for his response, she went into the living room, where Diana had just finished telling Adam about Emma's visit. Adam was surprisingly calm, simply nodding his head in understanding. Their kids, Alicia and Hayden, were asleep on the couch. They looked up to see Cassie enter, followed by a pissed-off Jake. _

"_Di, we need to leave," Cassie told her sister, grabbing her arm and pulling her out towards the door. Jake looked at Adam. _

"_You're just going to let them go?" he demanded. _

_Adam let out a resigned sigh. "I know they will look after each other. We need to take care of the kids, hope that no other unwanted Blackwells turn up."_

_Jake looked at the kids on the couch. "Put them in bed with Adrian and Lexie."_

_Adam nodded, and picked both up and carried them to kids' rooms. When he came down, Jake was gone. _

"_Shit, Jake!" he cursed loudly, taking out his phone to inform the rest of the circle. _

"_Uncle Adam?" he turned to see Adrian standing at the foot of the stairs, looking sleepy and confused. "Where are Mom and Dad?"_

"_Adrian, you need to go to bed, now! Aunt Melissa is coming to take care of you. Go, Adrian, now!" _

_Adam ran out the door, not bothering to check whether his nephew had followed his order. Starting his car, he drove down the familiar road to the boatyard. He saw both Cassie's and Jake's cars were parked over there. Jake was nowhere to be seen. _

_Faye arrived a few moments later. "I dropped Melissa off, but she just called to say that Adrian's not there." _

_Adam cursed and looked into the backseat of his car. Crouched under a bunch of blankets, he could see a mop of blonde hair. "Adrian Richard Armstrong, you come out of there right now!"_

_Adrian got out looking scared out of his mind. "I want to help! I know about the magic! I read Dad's Book of Shadows." _

_Before Adam could say anything, an ear-piercing shriek came from the boat. "Keep him here." He ordered Faye before running off towards the source of the sound. _

_Inside the chamber where John Blackwell had faked his death, a man with blonde hair kept a firm hold on Diana while a brunette held Cassie tight in his arms. A third man, a brunette with a scar on his right cheek had Jake in a magical choke hold. Emma stood leaning against a wall, grinning evilly. Witch Hunters surrounded the entire chamber. _

_With one quick spell, Adam managed to kill all the Witch Hunters without them noticing. He burst into the, taking all of them by surprise. Emma charged at him with a dagger she pulled out of thin air. He deflected her blow using magic. With one quick motion, he snapped her neck, letting her fall to the ground, lifeless. _

"_Caleb, don't!" he told the brunette with the scar as he proceeded to crush Jake's windpipe. _

_Caleb sneered at him. "You killed my sister! I will not spare any of you!" _

"_Adam!" Diana whimpered, before the man holding her captive, Chris, put a hand over her mouth. Cassie was silently crying, begging David, the other brunette, to let her be with her husband. Caleb sneered at them once more before completely crushing Jake's windpipe. _

"_NO!" Cassie screamed, her grief and agony letting dark magic take over. She broke free of David, and using John's spell, put him on fire. Diana took that moment of distraction to decapitate Chris and kill him. Adam went for Caleb, but Caleb had run away. _

"_No!" Cassie screamed again, falling to her knees next to Jake's body. "Jake, no!" _

_This time, she was sobbing hard, her husband's death too much for her to bear. Suddenly, she started feeling cramps in her stomach. Her face contracted in pain as she placed a hand on her abdomen. _

"_Cassie," Adam breathed, alarmed. "You have blood running down your thighs!" _

"_Call 911!" Diana told him. She looked petrified. "She's having a miscarriage."_

* * *

**Longest chapter till now. Phew! So this was the flashback to Jake's death. This will be all for today. Hopefully, I will be able to upload tomorrow. I promise, next chapter will have lots of Jake/Cassie moments. **

**Until then, R&R!**


	10. Chapter 10

**I know I was supposed to update yesterday, but it was my best friend's birthday and I wasn't home at all… so, here's the next chapter.**

* * *

It had been 3 weeks since the incident at the Boathouse. While Jake had come to terms with the fact that he might die and not be able to raise his children properly, Cassie and Adrian spent every waking moment trying to find a solution.

The other witches had been informed of what had happened, and what will happen. Just as with Jake and Cassie, finding out about their future together encouraged Adam and Diana to give their relationship another chance. Three weeks and they had already gone on more dates than they could count, and spent two nights in Adam's bed.

The four Blackwell siblings, Emma, Caleb, Chris and David, had become regular customers at the Boathouse. They had easily figured out that the place was the ideal hangout for the Circle, and spent all day scrutinising them with their hawk-like stare.

Of the witches, Diana was the first to be introduced officially to the Blackwells. The day of Adrian's breakdown, she took it upon herself to find out about her other siblings. So the next day, she was their server. They knew who she was. Unnecessary introductions took place, and now Diana even sat with them at the table, getting cosy. You know what they say, 'Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer'.

* * *

Jake entered Cassie's house, hands laden with grocery bags. He did not bother with announcing his presence. He knew Adrian was at the Abandoned House, researching on the Skull and the Balcoin magic; Cassie would be in her room, going through all their family Books, not bothering with food or sleep, or anything that did not concern saving Jake.

He left the bags on the kitchen island and made his way up to her room. The door was slightly ajar; he did not knock but walked straight in. She was sitting on her heels on the bed, surrounded by books – not just the Books of Shadows but other ancient books that they 'borrowed' from Calvin's shop. Her hair was properly made, her clothes fresh and her room clean, but her eyes were surrounded by dark circles, her face was pale and she looked like she hadn't eaten properly in weeks, which was true.

Jake bent down next to her and pushed all the books away from her.

"Hey!" she protested, but then saw who it was, and her she gave him a small, exhausted smile. "Oh, it's you."

"Yes, it's me," he returned her smile, but could see just how tired she was. "When was the last time you ate?" he asked her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

She sighed; last three weeks she had been so busy looking for solutions, she had missed the feeling of being close to him. "I had coffee some time back," she said timidly.

He sighed too, but in exasperation. "Correction, when was the last time you had a proper meal?" he asked, pulling back and looking at her.

She pressed her lips together, thinking. "Um, I think the waffles you made for me for breakfast the other day."

He was now completely worried and alarmed. "Cassie, that was three weeks ago. You cannot do this to yourself." He got up, and took her hand, pulling her up and off the bed with him. "Come on, we need to get something for you to eat."

She let him drag her down, too tired to say anything. He sat her on top of the kitchen island next to the grocery bags and took out the carton of eggs and a small can of cranberry juice from it. It took him two minutes to make scrambled eggs while she drank from the can.

She sat there, quickly eating her eggs, while Jake stocked up her fridge. When he came back to her, she held out her half-finished plate to him, silently pleading to him with puppy dog eyes to finish it off for her.

"Oh no, you are eating that," he said, taking the plate and fork from her and feeding her.

"But you made enough for two people!" she protested, but let him feed her, loving the feeling of him taking care of her.

He did not say anything, but gave her a look that said 'Shut up and eat'; she complied. The plate was soon finished. He gave her a quick peck on the nose. "Good girl."

She put the plate aside and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face down to her. Their lips opened before they even met and their tongues danced together in a frenzied movement. Jake wrapped his arms around her back and waist, pulling her flush against him, parting her legs to stand between them.

Their bodies touched in every possible way. She moved her hands up and down his arms, feelings his hard muscles. He groaned and his hips involuntarily bucked against hers, and she knew that his muscles were not the only part of him that was hard. His thumbs moved in circles against her inner thighs, and she felt heat travel from her stomach to her core. She needed more contact.

Sensing her need, he pulled her to him, her ass almost leaving the island, and pressed his hips against her. Their lips parted as they gasped for air, and their hips involuntarily started moving against each other. Sounds of pleasure filled the kitchen as they continued to dry hump each other. Jake lips landed on her collarbone, kissing, biting, leaving tiny hickeys. Cassie closed her eyes, head thrown back, and enjoyed the feeling of pure bliss coursing through her every vein.

They were brought out of their world with a loud _CRASH!_ Their activities had caused the still dirty plate to fall down and break. Jake ran a hand through his hair as they reluctantly pulled apart and Cassie hopped down to clean it before either of them got hurt.

"Buzz kill," Jake grumbled.

Cassie laughed and her eyes travelled down to the huge bulge in his pants. Their eyes met, and a dark look of lust crossed their features. "Wanna carry on upstairs?"

* * *

**And there is the long craved Jake/Cassie fluff! Hope you liked it. Don't forget to review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**I am so sorry I haven't bee able to update. I had very high fever and my eyes were burning because of the strain. Anyway, here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Cassie and Jake half-walked, half-sprinted up to her bedroom, all the time touching in some way – his hands brushing the curve of her hips; her hands running over his arms; his lips on the back of her neck; her hips grinding back against his.

In her bedroom, Jake flicked his hands to close the curtains and lock the door. They looked each other in the eyes as his hands rested on her hips, pulling her close. Their lips met in a sensual kiss. Her arms went around his neck, and her fingers wove their way through his hair. His hands started rubbing her waist and hips, and she let out a moan, her fingers tightening in hair and pulling him closer.

They pulled apart, breathing hard, and Jake pulled off both their shirts. His eyes became darker as he took in her green lace bra. Without wasting a second, his mouth latched onto the skin just above her breasts. Cassie elicited a deep moan, and suddenly felt the wind knocked out of her as he roughly pushed her against the door. She let out a breathless chuckle, feeling just how eager he was.

* * *

Adrian sat on the floor of the Abandoned House, surrounded by books on Dark Magic and how to defeat Dark Witches, in a manner similar to his mother back in her room. The laptop was on to a hundred different sites that included words like "Evil" and "Witches" and "Ancient Dagger". But he wasn't exactly interested in them. He had gone through them all a million times, but none of them were good enough.

He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. Where was the future technology when you needed it?! He got up and looked around the house once more. It doesn't change much in the future, not counting the addition of contemporary technology. He had searched every inch of the house, analysed every single god-damned book he found, but it was useless. They contained nothing that he didn't already know. He needed something good, something useful against the Balcoins.

He decided to check out the basement – the only place that he had not annihilated in his search for an answer. He could hear the stairs creek ominously as climbed down them, giving him goose bumps for some unknown reason. He sub-consciously decided to make his search quick and be out of the place and back to his parents.

The basement was lit up by a single fluorescent bulb hanging near a pillar where the stairs ended, but apart from that, it was pretty dark. There wasn't much in here, just a few old boxes and an ancient writing desk – all of which he had already gone through twice. He didn't know why he was here – obviously there was nothing left to go through here. He might as well look check all the floorboards and walls for hidden rooms containing large libraries that contain all the books he needs.

He turned to go back, but something made him stop. Instead, he went to stand under the Balcoin symbol on the ceiling, painted so many years ago by his grandfather. As he looked at the red painting, he noticed a tiny single red hoop right at the edge of the central triangle. The symbol was painted in such a way that the hoop was covered, and only someone who observed it very carefully would know. Heart racing, Adrian realised it was a hook to a compartment in the ceiling.

Very carefully, Adrian reached up and grabbed the hook. Being as tall as he was, he didn't have much difficulty in doing so. Very slowly, gently he pulled at the hook. The triangular section of the symbol came off, revealing a hollow chamber, out of which fell an old, leather-bound book, not very different looking from the Books of Shadows.

But as the triangular section came off, a searing pain started in his right palm, exactly where the Balcoin mark was, and just as quickly as it started, it ended, leaving him gasping on the floor.

* * *

Back in the Blake house, Cassie and Jake had just finished consummating their relationship, both lying breathless on her bed, still experiencing the pleasure and bliss of their activities.

Jake lay on his back as Cassie lay half on top of him, and pulled up the white comforter to cocoon their naked bodies in it. She rolled completely on top of him, her chest pressing against his, and leaned down to kiss him. Just as their lips touched, she let out a hiss and her face contracted in pain as she felt a white hot searing pain in her right palm, on the Balcoin mark.

"Cassie!" Jake cried in alarm as she buried her face in his shoulder to keep herself from crying out.

"My hand! It's burning!" she managed, taking her hand out of the comforter. Jake saw her Balcoin mark turn black. And as abruptly as the pain started, it ended, leaving her gasping, tears falling down her cheeks as Jake held her tight, murmuring soothing words in her ears.

* * *

Down at the Boathouse, Adam just finished closing up after the Blackwell siblings left. Faye and Melissa sat in one booth from where, all day, they had been unobtrusively observing the Blackwells while Faye was having eye-sex with Caleb. Diana helped Adam clean up and carry four bottles of soda to the booth and sat down with their friends. Time to discuss what they had found out about her half-siblings.

Faye greedily took her bottle of soda as Melissa started. "Well, among the four of them, it's obvious that the guy with the scar, Caleb, is the leader and the girl Emma is the brains."

"The other two, Chris and David, are fighters." Faye said, her soda already half finished. "They will do any and every dirty work that Caleb wants them to do, but Emma is the evil, scheming bitch that we need to be wary of."

Adam nodded slightly. "Well, Diana has already found out where they are living. Maybe one day, when they are here, two of us can break into their house and …"

The rest of the conversation became a blur to Diana as the same searing, white hot pain passed through her Balcoin mark on her right palm.

"Ah!" she hissed in pain, dropping her soda bottle. The others saw her Balcoin mark turn black as she writhed in pain.

"What is happening to her? Should I call 9-1-1?" Melissa asked, freaking out. Just then the pain stopped, and Diana started sobbing in Adam's arms; the pain had been excruciating.

"Call Cassie and Adrian," Adam told Faye and Melissa. "See if something like this happened to them too." Both girls nodded, taking out their cell phones and calling the mother and son.

* * *

In another part of town, the four Blackwells – Caleb, Emma, David and Chris – had just reached the cheap, seaside guest house they had rented. The four were in the middle of a conversation, contemplating what to do with the Circle. Just as they entered the house, all four of them fell to the ground as they too experienced the excruciating pain in their right palms. All four screamed in agony as their Balcoin marks turned black. And then it stopped.

"What the hell was that?" Caleb said through gritted teeth as he sat up. Chris and David got up too and helped Emma stand up.

"Our marks have turned black!" Emma cried out, looking at her palm. She then raised it up and against the fireplace, trying to rekindle the fire, but nothing happened. "Someone must have broken a Balcoin circle. Our powers are gone!"

* * *

**And that's it for today. I don't know when I can upload next. Even this was hurting my eyes. But I'll try to make it fast. **

**On a different note, any fans of Avengers and Fantastic Four out here? I have written a crossover fanfic for them. It's called "Second Chances". **

**Summary: Selene Taylor started developing supernatural powers at the age of sixteen. Seven years later, she was one of the best SHIELD agents. She was nicknamed the 'Enchantress', because of her magic and her exotic features that had every male agent drooling. Fury had her enlisted for The Avengers Initiative. Along with Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye and Black Widow, he had four other people in mind – the Fantastic Four. He sends his best Agent Taylor to recruit them. Only problem, she has history with our favourite playboy Johnny Storm. **

**Storm and Taylor dated for three years, were madly in love, before she caught him cheating on her eight months before the Battle of Manhattan. Will old flames reignite as they work together to stop an apocalypse? **

**Please check it out and tell me if I should continue with it. **

**Thank you for reading and don't forget to leave reviews!**


	12. AN

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

To all my loving fans,

I am very sorry for the long delay, but I have been very busy with school work and then had so many health problems I did not have any time to come here or write. And now when I do have some time, I lost all inspiration. So I am very very sorry to say that till I get that inspiration back, this story is on hold or open for adoption.

Again, I am very sorry. Hope I can write soon.

Lots of love, Selene.


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